


as a hello

by EmeraldTulip



Series: Curiosity Voyage [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, One Shot, Post-Canon, Returning Home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-31 05:36:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17843465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldTulip/pseuds/EmeraldTulip
Summary: “Hi,” Mike says, like he hadn’t just said it in different words.





	as a hello

**Author's Note:**

> @anon to [@he-lives-on-mirkwood](https://he-lives-on-mirkwood.tumblr.com): byler 1 prompt pleaseeee :00  
> the way you said “I love you.” 1. As a hello
> 
> you asked, anon, and a year later, I listened. enjoy!

“Will!” Joyce shouts from another room, and Will stops pacing. “When did you say Mike was coming?”

Will checks his watch. “He said he’d be here five minutes ago, Mom!”

He hears her grumble about kids not planning their time, but he knows it’s fond and knowingly hypocritical. He resumes his pacing, glancing out the window every now and then to look for Mike’s car or to nervously eye the rapidly darkening sky. Mike’s winter break started a little after Will’s, and so though Will hadn’t had to worry about driving through the snow the day before, he does have to worry about Mike potentially being caught outside if the predicted storm does sweep in.

He digs the letter out from his pocket, checking one more time to make sure he has the date and time right. He knows Mike isn’t stopping at his parent’s house—he hasn’t spoken to them in a year so he’s staying with Will, and he’ll meet up with Holly at an undisclosed location another day.

Will checks the clock—seven thirty-eight.

That’s when the lights shine through his window, and he turns to see Mike’s car pulling into the driveway. Just in time, too—snow has just started to fall.

“He’s here, Mom!” he shouts, and Joyce calls back with a noise of approval. He watches Mike clamber out of the car, jacket flapping open in the wind, and Will remembers last-minute to open the door so Mike can actually come in. He undoes the latch and wrenches the door open, and of course he instantly finds himself face-to-face with Mike.

His greeting dies in his throat. Mike’s dark hair is dusted with snow, a few sticking to his eyelashes, and his face is tinted the tiniest bit pink. His eyes are wide, too—Will isn’t entirely certain why, but the reason becomes clear as Mike’s gaze begins drifting across his face. He opens his mouth to say hello, but Mike beats him to the punch.

“I love you,” Mike says, and the second after he says it he almost looks surprised that he had.

Will swallows. He and Mike have been tentatively long-distance dating for a while, but it’s hard when they don’t go to the same school in the same state and all they ever get is short moments, like these. And this is the first time in a few weeks he’s heard Mike’s voice, and _that’s_ the first thing he gets to hear? It’s almost overwhelming.

 _Almost_ , because in actuality, it’s perfect.

“I love you, too,” he replies, feeling an uncontrollable grin spread across his face as he brings Mike in for a hug. Mike’s arms wind across his shoulders and WIll feels him lean down a little—they’ve both gotten taller, but Mike still overtakes him.

Will pulls out of the hug and tugs Mike inside, closing the door behind them to shut out the cold and latching it. When he looks back at Mike, he’s smiling.

“Hi,” Mike says, like he hadn’t just said it in different words.

Will loves him. “Hi.”

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are, as always, appreciated.  
> find me on tumblr, my main is [@willelbyers](https://willelbyers.tumblr.com) and my writing blog is [@lowriting](https://lowriting.tumblr.com)!


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